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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25611517">Earthquake</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/javajunkie/pseuds/javajunkie'>javajunkie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of SHIELD - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Post-episode fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:47:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25611517</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/javajunkie/pseuds/javajunkie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set immediately after episode 7x10 "Stolen".  Daisy/Daniel</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Skye | Daisy Johnson &amp; Daniel Sousa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>146</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Earthquake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>Throughout Daisy’s life, loss had been a constant companion.  When she was a kid, it was losing one foster family after another.  Even the not-so-great families hurt, although she always hid it with a smart remark.  When she was out on her own, the loss was more transient.  Friends passing in and out of her life.  The relationships that lasted about as long as the guy’s attention span.  And then their was her current life with SHIELD, where the loss was solid and permanent. A shattered body.  A gunshot to the the chest.  And now Jiaying, killed by her own power twisted into something macabre. </p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All the other times, Daisy was given the luxury of grief, but this time there were more pressing issues at play.  Nathaniel kidnapped Simmons and the team scrambled to locate the pirated Zephyr.  The one bright spot was that Nathaniel and Co. had an unintended stowaway in the form of Deke Shaw.  Daisy listened to the team brainstorming about how Deke could be used.  She tried to focus, but her mind kept being pulled back to that hallway and Jiaying’s lifeless body on the ground.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"I can hack into the system and disable the cloaking mechanism,” Deke said in a low voice.  “If I only take it off-line for a few seconds it should look like a glitch, but it’ll give you enough time to get our coordinates.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“How long will that take you, Deke?” Mack asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“The Zephyr wiring is surprisingly easy to manipulate,”  Deke said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah, maybe to you,” Yoyo said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“So, give me fifteen minutes?  But like I said, it’ll only be down for a few seconds.  Ten tops.  So, you’ll have to track us pretty quickly.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Don’t worry, we’ll be ready,” Mack said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ll go down and get weapons ready,” Daisy offered, needing to do something other than stand there and picture her dead mother.  The rest of the team looked at her sympathetically, and not without a bit of incredulity.  It was a bit of a mystery how she was still with them at all.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That’s a good idea,” Mack said.  “Thanks, Daisy.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daisy turned on her heel, feeling some release in the movement of her body.  She felt him behind her and without looking back said, “I don’t need a babysitter.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know you don’t,” Daniel said, voice soft and yielding, and she felt a rush of guilt for snapping at him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She looked over at him as he fell into step beside her.  “I’m sorry.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You don’t have to apologize.”  He paused.  “Are you okay?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daisy took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.  “Well, my mom was killed in front of me with my own hijacked power.  So, I’d say no.  I’m not.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m sorry,”  Daniel said.  He swallowed hard and said, “Maybe if I hadn’t pushed you to see her-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey, don’t do that,” Daisy said, stopping and reaching forward to slide her hand around his arm.  “This is no one’s fault except for Nathaniel Malick.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daniel’s face darkened and he said, “If I ever get near that guy...”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daisy shared that particular sentiment and said, “Yeah, get in line.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They headed down to the artillery and Daisy gathered a collection of firearms, finding something fortifying about the feel of the cool metal against her hands.  Any one of these guns could put a bullet between Nathaniel Malick’s eyes.  Her thoughts turned to her half-sister and the role a gun had played in her prior life. It was that act that drove her mother to charity work and her father.  Now, her entire history was being rewritten.  Or to put it more aptly, her history had been erased.  With no Jiaying, she shouldn’t exist, and she stared down at her hands, a shiver running down her spine and reverberating in the walls.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Daisy?” Daniel said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daisy barely heard him, his voice distant and tinny.  All she could feel was her grief and confusion rushing through her like a gush of water.  Dimly, she knew what was happening.  It had been years since her powers had snapped like this.  She tried to remember what she had been taught at Afterlife.  What Jiaying had taught her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Daisy.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Rough hands held hers, his grip firm and strong.  For not the first time, or even the second or third, she was thankful that he was there.  Daisy knew she was strong enough to control her powers, but in that moment, she wasn’t.  And maybe she didn’t need to be.  He was there, his calm and steady presence helping her body settle and mind clear.  Her body stilled and the episode passed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Are you good now?” he asked, stepping closer and sliding a protective hand over her shoulder.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She nodded, beginning to turn back to the work, but then she turned toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.  If he was surprised by the action, he didn’t show it.  Instead, he enveloped her in his arms, letting her stay there for as long as she wanted.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Daisy, are you okay?”  May asked suddenly from the doorway, voice tight with concern.  Behind her, Yoyo and Coulson followed.  “We felt the lighthouse start to shake.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Daisy pulled away from Daniel and nodded, wiping at her eyes.  “I’m good.  I promise.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>May eyes her warily and said, “You know, if you’re not up to fighting right now-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m going with you,” Daisy said resolutely.  “Look, I’ll say what you’re all thinking.  With Jiaying dead, I shouldn’t even be here.  But for some reason, I am.  So, I’m going to fight.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>May paused and then nodded slowly, a look of understanding passing between her and Daisy.  “Okay.  We got the coordinates.  We’ll be jumping to them soon.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Good.  I’ll be ready.”</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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